My mate got proper angry when I gave him a ring.

Loads of scammers use countless computer-generated numbers to ring people all over the globe. Often, these bogus numbers actually belong to innocent folks by pure chance. That’s just one big reason why you should never phone back unknown numbers. The genuine owner of the number should report it straight away to their phone provider and Ofcom. It’s also a good idea to email your MP, asking why tougher steps aren’t being taken to stop scammers from using fake or spoofed UK numbers on our networks. Plus, you can direct dodgy callers to this website. There are plenty of reasons why calling back a number you don’t recognise is a bad move: the call might get forwarded to an expensive overseas premium rate line; you risk being tagged as an easy victim for future scams; and worst of all, you could end up speaking to a con artist. Search 'voice cloning scams' on Google – some scammers even record your voice and use AI to mimic it.

Some woman from Asia called me, trying to sell a phone contract I’ve never even signed up for. Total scam, watch out!

Never got a voicemail and I don't recognise the number at all. I've just blocked it and wiped it off my phone.

Got a call from this number, saying they were with Vodafone. Sounded a bit dodgy to me, so I called them out on it. The person on the other end was a woman with an Asian accent. Once I said I knew it was a scam, they just quickly hung up.

Be very careful with calls, texts or emails from numbers you don’t recognise. Don’t ever answer or respond, and absolutely do NOT let anyone record your voice – voice cloning scams can be a real threat (just look up 'voice cloning scams' online for more info). If you get a dodgy call, text, or even a silent ring, make sure to report it straight away. You can text the details and the phone number to 7726, and follow the prompts to confirm your report. Always use the spam report features on your phone for calls and texts too. For suspicious emails, forward them to '[email protected]' and report them via the email provider’s phishing tools (usually in the menu with three dots at the top right). It might take several reports across these systems, though it makes sure all the right people get notified and take action. If you're unsure, just Google 7726 and '[email protected]' for plenty of advice on how to stay safe.

Text messages that just say "Hello" are often the first step in those old recruitment scams. If you reply, you're basically putting a big target on your back for scams down the line. Usually, they’ll promise some fantastic work-from-home gig paying like £50+ an hour, such as watching or reviewing TikTok videos. They’ll ask for a thorough CV, references, and proof of ID plus address. Then come the requests for your bank details and National Insurance number to set up payroll. Next thing you know, they'll send you dodgy software to put on your phone or laptop. Sounds silly, but loads of folks still fall for it. If you get these scam texts, make sure to send them to 7726 and also report them using your phone’s spam reporting service. This helps get the scammers investigated and hopefully the numbers banned across all networks. For more details, have a look online for '7726', 'voice cloning scams' or email scam reports at something like '[email protected]'.

This number rang me once but never bothered to call again. Feels a bit dodgy to me, so I wouldn’t pick up if I were you.

Got a call from a number I didn’t recognise, no message or text left behind. Checked this site and it looks like a scam, so I just blocked it straight away. If it was something important, I’d expect a text to come through if the number wasn’t saved, right?

I didn't pick up since I didn’t know the number, and when I didn’t, all I got was silence.

If you get scam emails, make sure you send them to the NCSC using the info below. Also, if you text the number and details of suspicious calls to 7726, and enough people do the same, that number gets marked as spam everywhere on the networks. Reporting scam emails to the NCSC helps the cyber crime team to investigate and take it seriously. Always report these things – the scammers often shift their email addresses, even if their phone number doesn't change.

Most definitely a scam. They pretend to be from Three.

If you want to help fight against these scams, make sure you report them – details below. There are scammers who actually record your voice and then use voice cloning alongside their usual tricks to drain your bank account. Just search 'voice cloning scams' and 'saying yes scams' online for loads of info, news, and advice from the police about this really dodgy AI tech. All they need is a few seconds of your voice to clone it. So, when you get a call from someone you don’t know, don’t say anything except maybe a simple "hello" grunt, then just listen. After that, hang up and report it. Also, delete any personal voice messages from your answerphone, never ring back unfamiliar numbers, and be careful who can get hold of your voice recordings on social media.

I just got a call and then they sent this odd WhatsApp picture, really strange.

As soon as this number showed up, my phone flagged it as possible fraud and blocked it straight away.

Got a call where they just kept saying hello over and over. I decided to hang up and block the number straight away.

Just a heads up, anyone posting false or harmful stuff about this number, be aware that the police will get involved straight away and legal action will be taken against those responsible.

This number keeps calling but just ends the call every time. Really annoying.

Got a call from some South Asian call centre lady, Mrs Wan K Eress Singh or sumthin, saying she’s from the Mombi branch or whatever (Hard Rubbing Dept, apparently). She was askin about some group of ducks and their behinds working or sum strange thing like that. She even suggested I check with Dr Dolittle and his zoo mates for a fresh batch or something. Weirdest call ever!

Someone said they were from Barclays about account alerts, but I’m not sure it’s legit. Sounds fishy to me.

Today I got called again by someone from a call centre in South Asia, this time from a UK number. The lady on the phone, Mrs Wan K Eress Singh, was all about figuring out the details of some duck🦆🦆 backside extension plan. Bit of a strange one, really.

Trust me, this one’s trouble. Don’t waste time, just get away fast.

The call came up on my phone as maybe being a scam. I looked it up on the "Who called me" site and decided to block the number straight away.

Someone said they were from Sky but I just ended the call and blocked the number straight away.

They've called me back at different hours on multiple occasions. I've already informed the police about it.